New figures from the Global Business Travel Association claim more than two-fifths of travel buyers have decreased bookings with Lufthansa since the airline introduced its Euro 16 charge on September 1.
The airline introduced the Euro 16 Distribution Cost Charge on tickets not purchased directly via its channels - i.e the global distribution systems and other intermediaries.
The survey also shows 93% are not considering the option to book directly on Lufthansa's site and almost two-fifths (39%) say they are seeking alternative carriers.
A minority - only 2% - of travel buyers said they would book directly with Lufthansa to avoid the charge.
This is not the first time since the fee's introduction that the distribution community has claimed a decrease in bookings. A report leaked to Tnooz in September showed GDS bookings had also taken a tumble.
Lufthansa said at the time that there was "no significant change of the overall booking situation within the Lufthansa Group (LHG)."
The carrier went on to say that the first weeks of September were "influenced pilots' strike action as well as other seasonal affects."
Lufthansa also said it would provide an update with "regular and reliable figures" during its regular financial reporting.
In a strongly worded statement on the travel buyer research, GBTA executive director and chief operating officer Michael McCormick says:
"We believe that the booking surcharge strategy has effectively backfired.
"The resulting actions demonstrate the high value that travel buyers place in the existing distribution network. The efforts by Lufthansa to fragment the distribution system by artificially adding cost is not working."
GBTA’s survey of global travel buyers was conducted online between October 14 and 19 with the participation of 434 buyers who represent about $44 billion in "global buying power."